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Inmates accused of hate-motivated attack

Published: Monday, December 10, 2012 at 2:15 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, December 10, 2012 at 2:15 p.m.

Two Lafourche Parish jail inmates are accused of planning an attack on two other inmates because they were Hispanic, and they were charged with committing hate crimes as a result.

Joshua Tillman, 22, is accused of punching one man until he was knocked unconscious and fracturing another man's wrist with a mop Thursday around noon, deputies said. During the attack, Bradley Ward, 21, allegedly climbed the bars of a cell and covered a security camera.

Deputies heard someone yelling for help and found the wounded inmates, according to reports.

Deputies reportedly investigated the attack and found that Tillman and Ward, both of Thibodaux, had planned it Wednesday night, targeting the two men because they were Hispanic.

They were separated and moved to another cell block, sheriff's Deputy Brennan Matherne said.

Tillman had been arrested Nov. 2, charged with domestic-abuse aggravated assault and battery, child endangerment, and second-degree battery, Matherne said. Ward was charged Nov. 30 with public bribery and possession of marijuana and Hydrocodone. Neither of them can bond out of the jail because they violated their terms of probation and drug court, respectively.

<p>Two Lafourche Parish jail inmates are accused of planning an attack on two other inmates because they were Hispanic, and they were charged with committing hate crimes as a result.</p><p>Joshua Tillman, 22, is accused of punching one man until he was knocked unconscious and fracturing another man's wrist with a mop Thursday around noon, deputies said. During the attack, Bradley Ward, 21, allegedly climbed the bars of a cell and covered a security camera.</p><p>Deputies heard someone yelling for help and found the wounded inmates, according to reports.</p><p>Deputies reportedly investigated the attack and found that Tillman and Ward, both of Thibodaux, had planned it Wednesday night, targeting the two men because they were Hispanic.</p><p>They were separated and moved to another cell block, sheriff's Deputy Brennan Matherne said.</p><p>Tillman had been arrested Nov. 2, charged with domestic-abuse aggravated assault and battery, child endangerment, and second-degree battery, Matherne said. Ward was charged Nov. 30 with public bribery and possession of marijuana and Hydrocodone. Neither of them can bond out of the jail because they violated their terms of probation and drug court, respectively.</p>